REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. - On October 10th, a Mayor and Commissioners meeting was held in Rehoboth Beach. A main focus in the meeting was the problem of converting basements illegally into living spaces. Corey Shinko, the Assistant Building Inspector for Rehoboth Beach, delivered a presentation about the issue.
Shinko explained that most basements in Rehoboth Beach are six foot six, and are only meant for storage purposes. Areas that are able to be lived in have to be seven feet or over. Shinko told CoastTV that this is a difficult issue.
"It's difficult to catch people, or to catch the use of these spaces because we would actually have to see it."
The city worries that after the final inspection goes through, people furnish basements, turning them into living spaces. According to the city, this is possibly a common issue with houses that are often rented out. Penalties for illegally turning basements into living spaces include a notice of violation, followed by a possible fine.
The city is currently working to find a way to solve the issue and prevent it from happening, since living in a basement, illegally, could be a safety hazard.